


Once and Always

by metonomia



Category: Chronicles of Narnia - C. S. Lewis
Genre: Alternate Universe, F/M, Lucy stays in Narnia, Short and sweet adventure, lucy knows things and Caspian wants to
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-02
Updated: 2019-12-02
Packaged: 2021-02-26 00:14:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,315
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21644269
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/metonomia/pseuds/metonomia
Summary: Caspian faces the Stone Table in hopes of proving his worth to Narnia and to Lucy.
Relationships: Caspian/Lucy Pevensie
Comments: 5
Kudos: 43
Collections: Lucian Exchange 2019





	Once and Always

**Author's Note:**

  * For [nasimwrites](https://archiveofourown.org/users/nasimwrites/gifts).



> For @nasimwrites’ prompts regarding adventure and memory! Happy Lucian Exchange!

They had a good understanding, Caspian had thought. True love! Two souls so extraordinarily suited to each other that they could change fate and sway Aslan’s plan. When he faced Lucy at the edge of the world and begged her to stay, she had called out to the Lion - and he came to her! He, not a tame Lion, appeared at her cry and gathered her up in his paws to comfort her. The three of them had walked the length of the Dawn Treader many times that night, speaking of fate and love and responsibility, and in the morning, had told the others that Queen Lucy would be staying in Narnia. Edmund had even taken him aside before heading off with Eustace and Reepicheep, to tell Caspian he’d as good as married Lucy already by Narnian custom. They were quietly but passionately entangled in one another on the return voyage, giddy and full of plans for Narnia’s future, aware of their great fortune. 

Which was why, when they’d been back a month, establishing official sea-trade routes and planning road repairs, sharing a bed most nights and taking their time planning a wedding and a coronation, Caspian was caught up in a sense of ease he’d never known in his life. Then a faction of Old Narnians came to the palace to claim Caspian did not merit his throne, and he very nearly collapsed as Lucy stood forward and agreed. 

“We have waited to see if you will follow the law and tradition, and you have not,” said the Dryad leading them, clearly bolstered by Lucy’s presence at her side. “If you do not prove yourself at the Table, you are not our king.” He looked to Lucy, confused and sharply aware of his many Telmarine failings, hoping for guidance. But her eyes were hard and her mouth set so that he thought she was truly upset. As he continued to stare wordlessly, she turned her back on him to address the Narnians. 

“You are correct, friends, and I will take responsibility for his failure and prepare him to remedy it. And if Caspian the so-called King of Narnia does not face the Table, I will challenge him for the throne.”

“I- I want to be a good King of Narnia,” he managed to say, rising from his throne. “Only tell me what I must do, and I will do my best.”

—

Lucy slipped into Caspian’s rooms that evening with a map and a bottle of wine.

“Caspian, dear, how are you feeling?” She asked, finding him curled forlornly in his bed. He sat upright quickly at her voice and flushed. 

“I didn’t think you would come tonight,” he said. “I thought you were rather mad at me. Lucy, I didn’t know-“ she cut him off with a kiss, and shoved the wine into his hands as she pulled away. 

“You need a drink,” she said, “and I’m sorry to have been so harsh. I’m more mad at myself; I just never thought it was a possibility! I suppose I assumed you’d already gone to the Table. But I had to side with the Narnians, of course. They expect me to be severe about that sort of thing.” Of course, Caspian hadn’t seen her playing at politics yet. Nobody ever expected valiant, open-hearted Lucy to hide her thoughts. “I codified the coronation requirement of sleeping at the Table, among other laws. It was very important to many of our people after the Witch, and I’m sure when we disappeared certain elements became even more important.”

“Will you help me, then? I still don’t understand the ritual. I’ve already been to the How…” Lucy felt a surge of fondness for the mingled apprehension and eagerness in his eyes. 

“Of course I’ll help you. I’m here for you, Caspian. And kings of Narnia are allowed to have help.”

“This is why Aslan let you stay,” he said, looking more like himself. He pulled the cork out of the wine and passed it to her. “To save the kingdom from my lack of tradition.”

She laughed, and kissed him again, then spread the map out on the bed. “You know where the Table is. Really all you must do is spend the night upon it. Let me show you our route.”

—

The trip across Narnia with Lucy by his side made everything new and bright again. A tour of his country, with People of all kinds coming to greet him with requests and the friendly curiosity that still followed him, and her stories to fill the starlit evenings . . . What more could he want?

“Caspian,” she whispered one night, as they huddled in their bedroll (Lucy had been in charge of supplying their small expedition, and he was fairly certain it was a purposeful oversight that left them the only two in need of bedding, and only one between them). 

“Caspian, I’m know this started so roughly, but are you enjoying the journey? It’s meant to be a celebration, really.”

He sighed heavily. 

“I hate not knowing these things,” he said. “I was raised to be a king! I think I do well enough - Aslan hasn’t come to force me out, anyway, and peace is sticking so far - but it’s always a shock, when my studying of Old Narnia and all the time taking advice on blending the cultures and laws seems to never be enough. Some people are always waiting for me to not know or do something, when I would do it if they’d just tell me! And you just know these things and you keep having to rescue me . . . I want to be worth your time, Lucy. I don’t want to force you to keep saving me from bigger and bigger failures.”

“Oh,” she said, “but I wanted to stay here with you because I love you, Caspian. I didn’t stay to put Narnia to rights or protect tradition, I stayed to be with you. You’re already worth it.”

—

Caspian lay upon the Table, thinking he couldn’t possibly sleep, but soon found himself alert in a way he instinctively knew was tinged with magic, held outside of time and place. He felt himself pinned - no, _tied_ \- to the Table, poked and prodded by unseen limbs, his skin scraped and bruised. A golden face appeared above him and he felt hope surge, and cried out for Aslan, for Lucy, but the next moment an iciness enveloped his body til he thought he would shatter -

Then he was frozen, but unfeeling, watching from afar as a cold grey pre-dawn broke over two girls huddled against a broken, bloodied form. Dryads awakened for barely a century settled into hibernation as men under his ancestors’ banner moved through them, burning and killing. Nightmares from the dark island curled around his legs, and in their smoke he saw great snakes curling around Narnia, endless wars, and worlds ending.

He woke, cramped and cold, his head throbbing and tears running hot down his face. He stumbled outside and into Lucy’s waiting arms. “Is this punishment?” He asked hoarsely. “For being Telmarine, or a bad king, or trying to alter fate by asking you to stay?”

“No! Caspian, look at me.” He met her eyes - tired, sympathetic, but so bright and kind. He took a deep breath, Lucy and the morning sun settling him.

“Narnia has always been full of pain as well as joy. You are her king, so you must know her pain. But you are a good king, you have always been a good king. And you will always have me beside you.”

“Queen Lucy.” He hadn’t called her by the title in months, and she smiled at his sincerity, and he laughed a little helplessly and a little joyously when she replied gravely and respectfully, “King Caspian,” and they got to their feet together, and turned to go home.


End file.
